It wouldn't have been theartsdesk's pick of the pops, but ITV1's Fred West drama Appropriate Adult had a great night at the BAFTA Television Awards. Dominic West took Leading Actor, Emily Watson was Leading Actress, and Monica Dolan completed the hat-trick by taking Supporting Actress. This spelt disappointment for Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock, but all was not lost since Andrew Scott (who played Moriarty) took Supporting Actor, while Sherlock's co-creator Steven Moffat was delighted to win the Special Award. It was handed to him by Cumberbatch and Matt Smith, star of Doctor Who which Moffat also writes and produces. Smith described Moffat as "brilliantly cantankerous."
Other highlights of the night included a Fellowship Award to venerable Antipodean Rolf Harris (pictured right), who was described as "a national British treasure" by presenter Robert Lindsay and was hailed in a tribute film which featured luminaries including Russell Crowe. Jennifer Saunders lifted Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for the revived AbFab, while Graham Norton (fresh from the Eurovision Song Contest debacle) claimed the Entertainment Performance award for The Graham Norton Show. Norton pipped Dara Ó Briain's Mock the Week in the process, but BAFTA host Ó Briain said there were no hard feelings because Norton had "spent the last 24 hours comforting Engelbert Humperdinck." Meanwhile Darren Boyd took Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for Sky 1's Spy, and Fresh Meat lost out to Mrs Brown's Boys in Situation Comedy.
On Planet Soap, Coronation Street pinched Soap & Continuing Drama (getting revenge on EastEnders, who won last year), while BBC Three's cult hit The Fades (now cancelled after its solitary series) won Drama Series. Shane Meadows's This Is England '88 (Channel 4) waltzed off with the Mini Series trophy - which sadly meant Top Boy didn't - and C4 scored again with Random, winner in the Single Drama category. The Single Documentary winner was Terry Pratchett's film about euthanasia for BBC Two, Choosing to Die.
The Scandinavian drama boom was acknowledged by Danish political saga Borgen taking the International award, while BBC Three's Our War took Factual Series. The BBC's coverage of Kate and William's Royal Wedding earned the Sport & Live Event award.
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